Innovation Day
Design meets technology: an immersive experience that turned innovation into interaction.
Brief
National Grid asked us to create an experience to showcase their incredible innovation portfolio in an engaging, content-driven way. They wanted to tell the end-to-end story of the grid, showing how start-ups and emerging technologies support the system at every stage. The experience needed to be interactive, memorable and fun, encouraging guests to learn through participation, while also creating reusable assets that could live on across the business. At its core, the brief called for a new way to elevate how innovations and technologies are brought to life in the live environment.
Strategy
We set out to design a non-traditional exhibition experience, creating ecosystems inspired by National Grid’s broad range of technologies. Content led every decision, informing how we shaped the main stage and zones to ensure complex ideas landed clearly and with impact. We also prioritised connection, integrating dedicated spaces that encouraged conversation between attendees and innovators.
Experience
SoWa Power Station, a revitalised 19th-century industrial site and once the largest power plant in the world, provided a meaningful setting for Innovation Day. A dynamic stage wrapped in gauze projection created an immersive focal point, allowing light and content to surround the audience.
Three innovation zones extended from the space, linked by a bold white road. A clean, home-like setting showcased customer-facing technologies. A 13-foot control room structure illustrated resilience through dynamic lighting. A lively cityscape of towers and light boxes highlighted future growth. Custom props supported storytelling across all three.
A cohesive identity inspired by the live movement of the grid unified the experience. Content was sharpened into a high-energy main stage show, supported by lighting, projection and music. Networking was encouraged throughout, with breakfast, lunch and an after-party alongside workshops and zone tours that helped guests dive deeper into conversations with innovators.
